Livni: Change only way to ensure Israel stays Jewish state

Former opposition leader Tzipi Livni responded to Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu's call Tuesday night for early elections, saying that after four years Israel must choose a different course in order to ensure that Israel remains a Jewish state.

According to Livni, due to Netanyahu's policies, "during the last four years Israel has become isolated and withdrawn. They are years in which the peace process - the only solution to maintaining Israel as a Jewish state - has been frozen, extremist religious groups have damaged national unity and social inequality has deepened."

Livni said that the real Israel, by contrast,"is a Jewish and democratic state, a member of the international community."

She called on Israelis to change direction, "which is the only way to maintain Israel as a Jewish state."